Memorial Day!

 
This Memorial Day weekend we took a trip with friends to Arlington National Cemetery.  I have been avoiding this trip because I knew it would make me really sad to see all the graves of soldiers that have mad the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  
There are more than 300,000 graves in the cemetery and they have an average of 27 funerals each day that add to that number.

We took a tram tour around the cemetery.  You can read some surprising facts about Arlington National Cemetery HERE 

On Memorial Day weekend flags are place in front of each grave.     

The majority of the grave stones are the same shape, but at some point they started to allow the families to provide their own headstones.  I think it makes the area look unorganized.

 We stopped at President Kennedy's grave site and saw the eternal flame.

Our next stop was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

These guards are an elite group of soldiers that dedicate two years of their lives to guarding the tomb.

Sargent of the Guard

 They change the guard every 30 minutes.  

Every single movement is in sync.  It is really amazing to watch!

Changing the wreath

 During this holiday weekend they place many different wreaths on the grave.

They play taps as the wreaths are hung.

Next we stopped at Arlington House.  The cemetery land was once owned by General Lee's family.  

We were able to walk around the inside of the home.

Beautiful Gardens

 

Our last stop was the amphitheater.  This is where the first Memorial Day ceremony was held back in the 1800's. 

 
This was a great experience and made this Memorial Day special.

We are blessed to be living in a free society. May we honor 

our American soldiers for their ultimate sacrifice and the 

liberty we have in this country. 

May we also give thanks to Almighty God for the freedom we 

have to spend eternity with Him because of His gift of 

forgiveness through the death, burial and resurrection of 

Jesus Christ.